Newsroom
Mosquitoes are normally treated as one of the most irritating but unavoidable parts of a Cyprus summer. This week, however, they became a more serious public health concern.
A 74-year-old man with no recent travel history has been diagnosed with West Nile virus after developing encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. He was admitted to intensive care at Nicosia General Hospital in serious condition, although health officials said his condition had begun to improve.
The lack of travel history means authorities are investigating the possibility that he was infected locally. It is Cyprus’ first confirmed West Nile case of 2026.
At the same time, health officials clarified that two separate cases recorded in July involved dengue fever. The first patient was a woman who had recently travelled abroad. A healthcare worker was subsequently infected after coming into contact with her blood while treating her, a rare route of transmission.
Both dengue patients have recovered and left the hospital. Importantly, the two cases do not currently provide evidence that dengue was spreading between people through mosquitoes in Cyprus.
But the timing of the cases has focused attention on a troubling gap.
A new European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control report found that Cyprus did not have systematic surveillance of Culex mosquitoes between 2020 and 2025. Culex mosquitoes are the main carriers of West Nile virus.
Of the 26 European countries that responded to the ECDC questionnaire, 17 said they had monitored Culex mosquitoes during that period. Cyprus was among the nine that had not and reported that it was now developing that capacity.
The finding does not mean authorities were doing nothing about mosquitoes. Cyprus has monitoring and control measures for other species, including invasive Aedes mosquitoes, which can carry dengue, chikungunya and Zika.
It does, however, raise an obvious question: if the mosquitoes capable of carrying West Nile were not being systematically tracked, how quickly could Cyprus detect where the risk was increasing?
West Nile virus usually passes from infected birds to mosquitoes and then to humans. It is not generally spread through ordinary contact between people.
Most infected people develop no symptoms. Some experience fever, headache, body aches or tiredness. In fewer than 1% of infections, however, the virus can affect the nervous system, causing meningitis, encephalitis, or paralysis. Older people and those with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of severe illness.
Dengue is usually carried by Aedes mosquitoes, which often bite during the day. Symptoms can include a high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, aching muscles and joints, nausea and a rash. Severe stomach pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding or difficulty breathing require urgent medical attention. WHO dengue guidance
There is no need for panic, but there is reason to take mosquito prevention more seriously.
Residents can reduce breeding grounds by emptying standing water from flowerpot trays, buckets, pet bowls and other containers. Water tanks should be covered, gutters kept clear and swimming pools properly maintained. Repellent, window screens and clothing that covers the arms and legs can also reduce the risk of bites.
One serious West Nile case does not amount to an outbreak. Nor do two linked dengue cases mean the virus is circulating through Cyprus’ mosquito population.
